Le Etta Pratt Sargent

“My life cannot implement in action the needs of all the people to whom my heart responds.”

Dr. Le Etta “Lee” Pratt Sargent  passed away on October 17, 2023 in Logan, Utah.

Lee is the 4^th child of 5 and 2^nd daughter of Heber George Pratt and Laura Leona Gooch Pratt. She was born July 20, 1934 in Pocatello, Idaho and lived her early years in Inkom, and later in Downey Idaho.

She was the wife of the late Jay B. Sargent for almost 20 years. They met and were married when Lee was 67 years old. She so often said her life began at 67 and that Jay was well worth the wait. “Jay was an angel to me,” (P 93) He brought multitudes of sweet blessings into her life. They would be separated only by his death June 23, 2021. Lee was so blessed and thankful  her life was extended long enough to care for Jay until he died. In Lee’s 67 single years her heart and life were so full of love and service to so many worthy causes and dear people.

She served as an LDS missionary in the British Mission. Upon her return, she worked for the LDS Church in the Office of Apostle N. Eldon Tanner and later for Elder Theodore M. Burton.

In her early 30's she returned to school at BYU where she completed her BS and MS Degrees in education with a Health Science focus. She was teaching at BYU when offered a position at University of Wisconsin (UWL) where she taught four years.  For the next 25 years, she was a faculty member at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia; however after one year at VCU, she was granted a year’s leave and was half-time faculty at Oregon State University (OSU) while finishing her Doctorate in 1980. She then returned to VCU where she was promoted and granted full tenure. She was known to her students as Dr. Lee. After 32 years in the Field of Education she retired from VCU as Professor Emeritus in the year 2000.

She excelled in the areas of Teaching, Service, and Scholarship. In cooperation with the Center for Disease Control, she became the co-director for the HIV/AIDS Curriculum Development and Teacher Training Program for the State of Virginia. She served on the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Education Committee where she received a 10-year grant from the AHA to develop curriculum for the public schools. This project became known as the first baseline data study for curriculum development in Health Education. The Division of Motor Vehicles of Virginia gave her a grant to develop their Alcohol Education Program and to train their teachers throughout Virginia.  She served two terms as the Director of the International Health Commission. During that time, she received an invitation from the Ministry of Education for Russia to come to Moscow to teach and be a consultant for a research project which was being conducted in the public schools by the Russian Government.

She was honored as the recipient of the International Scholar Award in educational research and completed summer teaching assignments in Cairo Egypt, Seoul Korea, Yokohama Japan, Dublin Ireland, and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

She served for 10 years on the Interfaith Council of Greater Richmond, four of those years as an officer and then was elected as President of the Council (the first Mormon to so serve).

She was called to be the Stake Relief Society President of the Richmond, Virginia Stake (the first single sister in the church to so serve). She developed an outreach program to the Women’s Prison and served as a counselor there.  In addition she served on Boards for the homeless people in Richmond, The National Conference of Christians and Jews, and The Family and Children’s Services.  She organized and chaired a three-day training  with Barbara Winder, General President of the Relief Society, for the 10  Stakes in Virginia. After 3 ½ years,  Lee was released as the Stake Relief Society President and called to chair a committee for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s visit to Richmond (a 5 - year commitment).

After retirement from VCU in 2000, Lee felt impressed to return to Utah which she did in 2002. Much to her surprise (after 67 years of being single) Lee was promoted to a “Sargent” when she married her dearest friend, neighbor and sweetheart Jay B. Sargent in the Logan Temple on November 16, 2002.

Jay brought Lee a sweet family (she claimed them all as her own) when she became an instant wife, grandmother and great-grandmother. At the time of their marriage Jay’s posterity included 72 but now exceeds 175. Sixty five of the great-grandchildren were born after she became a Sargent.

Lee and Jay continued their service to the Church serving several missions involving Education and  Addiction Recovery. They served together in the Logan Temple and were co-teachers in the Gospel Doctrine class for five years. They served with six other couples in the IHC Hospital Branch . At the time of Jay’s passing in June of  2021, they were in their 19^th year together.

Lee has touched the hearts and lifted the burdens  of thousands of people throughout her life. This angel will be remembered for her love and commitment to helping others. Until we meet again, farewell,  dear sweet lady.

Lee is preceded in death by her parents, a sister Ona June and two brothers, Jay   and Leon (Betty).  She is survived by a brother Coy Pratt (Carolyn) 8 nieces and nephews. In the Sargent Family, all but five of the 175 are still living. They are all precious and dear to her - a gift and tender mercy. When “Dr. Lee” became a Sargent, there was no title she liked better than “Grandma Lee”! The Knights, her family for 25 years in Virginia, were a very special gift of love and support. Glade and Kathleen Knight had four children all of whom are still living.

Funeral services will be held on October 27th at 12:00 p.m. at the Logan 43^rd Ward chapel at 1255 North 600 East. The family will greet visitors prior to that from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Click here to join funeral livestream (passcode: Lee): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84613155641?pwd=NFdQMkc5WllBRzBZdms2SWU4TnR5QT09

Interment will be at the Bloomington Idaho Cemetery.

Written by:

Jerry & Lois Goodrich